Wichita eagle., 1887-10-02
CE~ -
BATHS OF NEW YORK.
sOTHAMITES BID FAIR TO RIVAL.
THE ANCIENT ROMANS.

| THE ANCIENT ROMANS.
Splendid and Costly Baths Rapidly Srul.
tiply Throughout the City-where the
Pretty Society Women Go to Take q
Merry Swim.
me tub is me second self" well known
lawyer said in the Hoffman house the other
| night. 1and one reason why / don't leave
New York and 60 with my family to ths
| mountains is simply because / cannot enjoy
my bath as do in town. bath in ice cold
water all the year round, and ! have never
had cold Or sore throat since I began the
practice. In the country man can never
get good bath when be wants it-before
breakfast-and 50 be begins the day wrong. "
The bath has almost grown to the proper
tons OF fad in New York. Apartments
without bathroom are not to be thought
OF, and tubs are distributed through the
hotels in fashion that would crafty the
spirit OF the ancient Romans. Everywhere
the bath Is the principal subject of talk in
renting fats or houses Many a private res
idence in New York Is embellished with "A
bathroom that is modelled on the famous one
In the Vanderbilt mansion had the pleas
ure. the other day, OF looking over the cuts
that have been prepared for an article on
TINS subject for one Of the magazines. The
articie VIII probably appear within fifteen
years There were twelve photographs of
the bathrooms in the houses Of prominent
new Workers. Most Of them were apart-
ments ten to fourteen feet square, with
the walls and ceilings Of marble or
porcelain tiles, and the floor more OF less
expensive mosaic. Light was admitted
through stained glass windows, and the bath
proper was plunge OF four or five feet deep.
and as many feet square, surrounded by a
bronze railing. Marble steps led down from
different sides, and the arrangements Of the
faucets, showers, etc, were modelled OH clas-
sicat originals Several Of these bathrooms
represent IN themselves an outlay OF thou
sands OF dollars, and they put the primeval
tub to the blush.
Baths are building everywhere about town.
A new one, which will soon be thrown omen
Is under the Produce exchange, and it is in.
many respects one Of the most costly bathing
places in the world. Several hundred tbou.
sand dollars have already been spent on it.
Salt water is carried directly from the bay.
and is kept running through the bath con-
stantly. There are rooms where thirty at.
PENDANTS are az hand to scrub, rub and douse
with alcohol the festive bathers. The main
tank Is sixty feet one way by fifty the other.
and runs in depth from five to nine feet.
AL along the river front, both in the East
and North rivers, the public baths are now
open, and in many places there are baths
established Is bCsii.ess ventures in competition
with them. Baths of this description are
made OF wood, and are nothing more or less
than huge hollow squares with a floor graf
ing that keeps the bathers from going too
deep. They are floated near some pier. and
bathing suits, together with the privilege of
for an hour, cost from fifteen TO
twenty-five cents. All sorts and conditions
of men, boys and children attend them.
Certain hours are set aside for the bathers
of the gentler sex. They are forced to wear
'uits OF regulation pattern, and it is neces-
AIRY to be very strict in the matter for the |
women are proverbially careless about con-
'ealing their charms when men are not about. |
some OF them swim in a fashion that would |
lstonish the professionals. and they dive of |
he ratings and play all sorts Of pranks with
ach other, precisely as schoolboys do. I re-
member once having look at bath when Il
vas occupied exclusively by women. A man
vas going to buy the place and I went with
i'm to look at it. He went over the estab-
ishment while l stared at the batbers with
nremitting industry. 1t was in one of the
oor wards OF the town and most of the girls
Tere factory operatives and shop employees.
lany of them had brought old calico wrap
ers with them to serve as bathing suits, bus
be restrictions Of the bath would not hermit
mis-, and they were forced to wear more suit-
BILE costumes. The display of magnificentIy
roportioned figures and graceful outlines
'ould have driven Fifth avenue mad with
IVY.
The best society swirns There are now IN
,e vicinity Of Fifth avenue several bathing
Establishments which represent largo ont
y Of capital, and which are patronized oulv
y people Of high social pretensions One Of
lem is in charge Of an acute and shrewd
wede, who says openly that be- will not
low any "middle clas people, to visit his
ace.
II never touch anything" be said to me
he day, composedly, (which is not Of the
oper crust instruct the aristocratic peo-
e of New York how to swim; l viii not ,
I'VE anything to do with the humber eie-
ents Of the town. This IL partially because
like it, and partially because bath that il
IN exclusively for the best class of society
III be literally patronized Ny place occu- ,
es four city lots, for which l paid SIS 600 ,
fore began TO build. The expenses are
Try large, as it Is necessary TO keep the pool
arm enough, in winter TO admit of bathing. ,
ID all of the accessories are in good taste ,
This was true to an eminent degree. Every ,
ing that the water touched was marble or .
yer, and the dressing rooms were models ,
comfort and elegance Illustrated maya
les and papers were scattered about the
aiding rooms and the attendants were all In
owy uniforms There were probably half /,
lozen ladies swimming at the time. They ;
IRE very light and close fitting bathing !
its, and their instructors we're women.
le Of the swimmers was society lady
hose face las been familiar to New Workers =
the opera aud fashionable balls for several
.sons. She Is . dainty little woman, with | :.
ace cs delicate as a causeo and she has I
Z voice and a gentle manner She reminds :,
3 Of nun, she Is 50 quiet and Gemure !.
e day that glanced in the bath abe was :,
L emerging from her dressing room Her .
M figure vas c.ad in single garment that :
ked as though i. might have been made Of !,
rkish toweiing. She petcered down the :
TX on a run, scuddei up the steps to Q :
FIVE or six feet above the water. =
sed herself on the end a moment, and then !.
anS in the air ike a bird and disesi cut Of =
BIT Presently she came 20 tie surface Of
water. ten or fifteen feet beyond, and
Mt spiashing hand over hand 10 the steps.
ce there sne scrambled TO tbs walk again
/ REPEATED her dive with a shrek Of exul- Z
ion that could be beard al oser tie build u
!. She was as wild, unsramnae3ed and ven q
rnor,e as 4 STREET arab On an esss1 ODD dr.k @